On July 24, 1979, Carl Yastrzemski hit his 400th career home run in a game against Oakland at Fenway Park. Six days later, the ballpark hosted its third all-star game featuring the Cape Cod Baseball League. In September, Yastrzemski reached another milestone in front of the Fenway Park crowd when he collected his 3,000th career hit and became the first player in American League history to notch 400 home runs and 3,000 hits in their career.

The Red Sox

On March 9, 1979, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn notified teams that reporters, regardless of gender, should be treated equally. As a result, female reporters throughout baseball were given access to clubhouses.

For the third year in a row the Red Sox won more than 90 games under Don Zimmer but the Orioles won 102 games and Boston ended up 11½ games out of first.

Luis Tiant signed with the Yankees in free agency during the offseason, and Bill Lee was dealt to Montreal for second baseman Stan Papi, who hit .188 for Boston in 1979. Dennis Eckersley led the team in victories (17-10), along with Mike Torrez (16-13) and Bob Stanley (16-12 after being converted to the rotation).

Even with these subtractions on the pitching side, the Red Sox still had the Gold Dust Twins, Jim Rice and Fred Lynn. Rice batted .325 with 39 home runs and 130 RBIs and Lynn hit .333, drove in 122 and also had 39 homers. Rice and Lynn joined teammate Carl Yastrzemski as the three AL outfielders chosen to start the All-Star Game. Rice also became the only player in the history of Major League Baseball to have 200 or more hits and 35 or more home runs in three consecutive seasons.

In a 7-3 victory over Oakland at Fenway Park on July 24, Yastrzemski hit his 400th career home run. He then collected his 3,000th career base hit on September 12 in a home game against the Yankees. In the process, Yastrzemski became the first player in American League history to have both 3,000 hits and 400 home runs in a career.

Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park

On July 3, 1979, before the Red Sox game versus the Royals, a Pitch, Hit & Run competition took place at Fenway Park. The ballpark also hosted a pair of all-star games in 1979, including the Cape Cod Baseball League's third consecutive victory at Fenway Park over the Atlantic Coast Baseball League.

1979 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park

May 29

Division Two & Three All-Stars 3, Division One All-Stars 2

July 3

Burger King Pitch, Hit & Run Competition

July 30

Cape Cod Baseball League 6, Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League 5*

* From 1975 to 1987, on a biennial basis, Fenway Park hosted an all-star game between the Cape Code Baseball League and the Atlantic Collegiate League. The all-star game alternated between Fenway Park and sites closer to the ACL's teams, such as Yankee Stadium and Veterans Stadium. In 1988, the Cape Cod Baseball League returned to an intra-league format for their annual all-star game and in 2009, Cape Code League All-Stars returned to Fenway Park for the Cape Cod League All-Star Game, which was played again in 2010.